Spring evening with roe deer herd

Every spring, when the roe bucks finish growing their antlers, I return to my favorite locations to photograph strong individuals before they shed their velvet. At these spots, the herds spend most of the day grazing or resting in open fields. They often position themselves right in the middle, where they can keep watch over everything around them. This makes getting close almost impossible.

/ Herd when I firstly noticed them / - Canon R6 + Canon 300/ f2.8 mark I

These herds usually have ten or more members, and with so many eyes and ears, every angle is covered. That leaves only two options: either lie in the middle of the field and hope they come closer, or crawl toward them. That evening, I chose the second option.

It was quite muddy, and after only a few minutes, I was already wet and dirty. But with wildlife photography, there’s often some sacrifice—and I gladly made this one. Still, there was no guarantee I’d get close enough for the shot I wanted.

As I crept forward, one of the does noticed something strange approaching. I was afraid she’d alert the whole group, but instead, she just watched me—as if she somehow knew I meant no harm.

At first, every time she looked my way, I would freeze and wait until she returned to grazing. But as she kept watching and the sun began to set, I decided to take the risk. I kept crawling toward the herd, even though she was still looking at me. In doing so, I broke one of the most important rules in wildlife photography: never move when the animal is watching. But she remained calm - so I decided to risk it.

Older doe on the lookout - Canon R6 + Canon 300/ f2.8 mark I

At this point, I was about 40 meters away when one of the bucks noticed movement. Fortunately, after a moment, he began grazing, giving me an opportunity to inch a little closer. But he wasn’t as forgiving as his female companion. After noticing movement second time, he became curious about the intruder and started approaching me.

/ Evening nap / - Canon R6 + Canon 300/ f2.8 mark I

/ Curiosity / - Canon R6 + Canon 300/ f2.8 mark I

This happens quite often with roe deer, as they are naturally curious animals. When they encounter something that doesn’t resemble a human, they will investigate. As soon as the buck started approaching, I knew what path he would take. Animals, particularly deer, often “walk into the wind” to catch the scent of unfamiliar objects. This meant the buck would eventually circle behind me.

However until he got behind me, I had plenty of time to capture photos I hadn’t even hoped for. The buck circled exactly where I expected him to—right in front of the sun, which created the perfect backdrop.

/ Prince of the sun / - Canon R6 + Canon 300/ f2.8 mark I

Once he reached the wind, he quickly realized that the unknown object was, in fact, a human. He alerted the entire group, and they all bolted toward the sun.

/ Flying towards the sun / - Canon R6 + Canon 300/ f2.8 mark I

However, they didn’t run far. Curiosity got the better of them, and they soon stopped for one last look, which was my cue to let them enjoy their evening in peace.

1.3.2025, Slovakia